'Action will be taken only after investigations are completed'

Mumbai, Feb 12 (UNI) Director General of Police Dr P S Pasricha and Mumbai Commissioner of Police D N Jadhav today said action against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi will be taken only after completing the investigations.

''The law is equal to all and we will take action according to the investigation report which will be completed sooner than later,'' Mr Jadhav said.

Addressing a joint press conference at the police headquarters here this afternoon, the Commissioner told mediapersons that the investigations were in progress and there was no political interference in decisions regarding arrests of Mr Thackeray and Mr Azmi and the police will take the decisions only after completion of the investigations.

Dr Pasricha also emphasised that the investigation was in progress and ''it would be too soon to form an opinion on the complicity of anyone at this juncture''. ''We will complete the investigation in quick time and then take action accordingly,'' he said.

Mr Jadhav informed that the police had arrested 213 MNS workers in Mumbai since the outbreak of violence in the metropolis. Sixteen Samajwadi Party workers too have been arrested. The police have also made 201 preventive arrests which include 201 MNS workers and 47 Samajwadi Party workers.

Elsewhere outside Mumbai, 16 cases had been registered and 39 arrests made, Dr Pasricha informed. As many as 143 preventive arrests were made outside Mumbai. The maximum of seven incidents were reported from Beed, three incidents of stone pelting resulting in the damage to six buses had been reported from Pune, while three incidents had also been reported from Latur. One incident of violence was reported from Aurangabad. In Chiplun, two men were manhandled inside a factory.

Meanwhile, the DGP and police commissioner urged the media not to show old clippings of violence which tend to spread panic among the people. They also urged the public to maintain law and order.

UNI ST/GS DB/MAZ PK BST1914